Free Ranging Chickens and Other Garden ShotssteemCreated with Sketch.

in #garden7 years ago

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After hitting some garage sales today, we decided to let the chickens free range a bit for the first time. They are really liking the potato patch, which is fine with me as it is done, aside from the beans and squash growing on either side and they are leaving those alone for the most part. I love how they are tilling up the bare sections just as I had hoped and leaving behind some wonderful fertilizer. They sure seem happy to finally get out and explore and so far the dogs have been pretty well behaved with them

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It is so odd to see so many southerners with gardens that are nearing their end and entering into fall while we are still mid summer. Our sunflowers have only just started to bloom and we are in the middle of bean harvest here.

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The echinacea is in full bloom and looking lovely. I have already harvested and dried quite a few leaves and will be adding some petals into the batches I have yet to do.

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The calendula is at that point where it seems the more I pick, the more I have the next day, and I love it!

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Hope you are all having a lovely weekend! ~Heidi

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Thanks for sharing your amazing work. I was born in a farming family so this post naturally attracts me.

As far as I know, these chickens won't be safe if there are cats around. Dogs are nicer but cats are just two greedy to care for fellow chickens. I hope they stay safe because they kill a lot of pests.

Chickens are behaving too if they are not destroying the fresh seeds. They always do that.

The garden looks great even when the fall is about to start. I wish you good luck. Keep sharing and **Steem on

I love calendula! I bet your hens are loving being free girls. I'm starting our fall plants and dividing our herbs. I am excited for the cooler season! Lovely weekend to you :)

I am not sure there is a way we can actually have a fall garden here as it just gets too wet. I am going to try again in the greenhouse though with at least some lettuces and such. Again, I apologize for not keeping up on your posts lately, SOME day things will slow down a bit...maybe? haha

haha no worries friend, I know you are one busy cookie! How do cucumbers do in your zone? I need to get a greenhouse going, I think I can benefit by having one tremendously.
Happy weekend to you and your husband!

Cucumbers do pretty decent, as long as I keep them in the greenhouse. Thank you dear lady, for understanding

Lovely start of the week to you and yours friend!

Your hens are beautiful! I want hens so bad, but not doable right now. Your garden looks amazing! Cant wait to get my hands on your extemely healthy herbs❤

Your garden looks lovely!

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Love the hens and flower shots!

Chickens love to free range! If you let them do it all the time, you'll spend half as much on feed. They can help in the garden, but they can't be trusted there ;)

Wonderful post! Your chickens look so happy!

It is funny to hear about how everyone down South has all their peaches canned already and they're kind of moving into the end crops while I'm in full swing trying to get all the summer deluge taken care of - we're just getting our first tomatoes in now and my counters are covered in peaches ripening off to be canned. The herb garden looks beautiful, by the way - I'm just getting ready to harvest red raspberry leaves but I have yet to add echinacea. I've got a good spot for it, too. Maybe next year!

Buff Orpingtons, right? We have one of those, and she's probably my favorite chicken. Congrats on free-ranging! The first day we did it, I was convinced they were never coming back. Now, I couldn't imagine not having a retinue of birds following me wherever I go. :)